The design on the front of the Spanish doubloon carries the coat of arms of the Hapsburg royal family. The Hapsburg Shield is part of the lineage of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, the king and queen best known for sending Christopher Columbus on his historic voyage.

The reverse side of the coin carries the Crusaders cross, which was a sign of both religion and government for Spain in the 16th and 17th century.

The Spanish doubloon was minted entirely by hand. Excess metal was trimmed away to make each coin weigh exactly the same. Because each coin was handcrafted individually, doubloons are not perfectly round.